Refrigerated self-service showcase



y 7, 1958 K. A. WEBER 2,836,039

REFRIGERATED SELF-SERVICE SHOWCASE Filed Sept. 19, 1955 2*Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. MEL ,4. W585i? May 27, 1958 K. A. WEBER REFRIGERATED SELF-SERVICE SHOWCASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19, 1955 m MW 2 7 m m n L MF M w P K V W United States Patent REFRIGERATED SELF-SERVICE SHOWCASE Karl A. Weber, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Weber Showcase & Fixture Co., Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 19, 1955, Serial No. 535,123

4 Claims. (Cl. 62-89.5)

This invention relates to an improved refrigerated self-service showcase.

It is an object of this invention to provide a showcase which is open and accessible for the storage and display of foodstuffs.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a showcase wherein foodstuifs may be maintained at a temperature lower than atmospheric temperature.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a showcase having a maximum display area.

it is still a further object of this invention to provide means for preventing entry of atmospheric air into the showcase.

It is still a further object of this invention to continuously circulate cold air over and around foodstuffs on display.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following description:

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a showcase embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken along line 22 of Figure 1.

A housing is formed having a front wall 10, a rear wall 12, a top 14 and bottom 16 and side walls 18 and 20 all of suitable insulated construction to facilitate maintenance of a low temperature within the case. The top 14 terminates inwardly of bottom 16 and is provided with a downturned wall segment 17 which terminates well short of the upper extremity of front wall providing an access opening 19.

Spaced from bottom 16 is an inner wall 26 which extends from side wall 18 to side wall 20 and is suitably aflixed thereto providing a lower front air passage 39. Similarly, at the rear of the cabinet a second inner wall 30 is provided spaced from rear wall 12 and extending between and suitably afiixed to side walls 18 and 20, forming a rear air passage 32, communicating with air passage 28.

Spaced below top 14 is an inner wall 34 which likewise extends from side wall 18 to side wall 20, forming upper air passage 36, communicating with air passage 32. The air passage 28 has mounted therein a blower 38 rearwardly which draws air downwardly into air passage 28 through air passage 39 and upwardly through air passage 32, the inlet to the air pasage 39 being formed between front wall 10 and inner wall 33, a screen 37 covering the inlet to prevent entry of foreign matter into the showcase. A refrigerating coil 40 is provided in air passage 28 to suitably refrigerate air circulated by blower 38. Refrigerated air is moved by blower 38 upwardly through air passage 32 and forwardly through air passage 36. Spaced from wall segment 17 is a downwardly projecting inner wall section 42 so that air discharged between wall segment 17 and wall section 42 forms a blanket of refrigerated air across access opening 19 preventing atmospheric air entering the showcase. The curtain of air enters air passage 39 between walls 18 and 33 and is recirculated. The inner walls 26, 30

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and 34 are preferably insulated to prevent heat exchange therethrough.

Mounted within the showcase are a plurality of U- shaped display bins 44 which extend from side wall 18 to side wall 20 and are afiixed thereto. These display bins have their rear walls spaced from inner wall 30 to form an air passage 46 parallel to air passage 32 on the opposite side of wall 30. Also the U-shaped display bins have their upper and lower walls spaced from one another to form air passages 48 therebetween. The upper walls 50 of each U-shaped display bin have a plurality of slots 52 formed therein permitting air to flow from passages 48 into the bin. The lower wall 54 of each bin has an upwardly and forwardly inclined baffle 56 afiixed thereto which confines flow through air passages 48 into the display bins.

Air is admitted to air passage 46 from air passage 58 formed beneath the lowermost display bin and inner wall 26. A blower 60 and refrigerating coils 62 are mounted in air passage 58.

Thus in operation air is moved by blower 38 upwardly through passage 32 and forwardly through passage 36 and is discharged as a blanket over access opening 19 and is then recirculated. In the meantime air moved by blower 60 moves upwardly through passage 46 and forwardly through passages 48 and out slots 52 into each individual display bin over the goods on display. This air is then drawn by blower 60 over coil 62 and recirculated.

While what hereinbefore has been described is the preferred embodiment of this invention it is readily apparent that alterations and modifications can be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and such alterations and modifications are intended to be in-.

cluded within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A refrigerated showcase comprising a housing having an access opening, a plurality of open display bins positioned one above the other in said housing, means forming air passages on three sides of said display bins, air moving means circulating air through said passages directing air flow in a curtain across said access opening, and means for diverting a portion of the air moved by said air moving means into said last-mentioned air passages, and refrigerating means in the path of air moved by said air moving means.

2. A refrigerated showcase comprising a housing having an access opening, a plurality of open display bins positioned one above the other in said housing, means forming air passages on three sides of said display bins, air moving means circulating air through said passages directing air flow in a curtain across said access opening, means for diverting a portion of the air moved by said air moving means into said last-mentioned air passages, and refrigerating means in the path of air moved by said air moving means, one side of said display bins having openings therein admitting air into said dsplay bins from said last-mentioned air passages.

3. A refrigerated showcase comprising a housing having an access opening, a plurality of open display bins positioned one above the other in said housing, means forming air passages on three sides of said display bins, air moving means circulating air through said passages directing air flow in a curtain across said access opening, means for diverting a portion of the air moved by said air moving means into said last-mentioned air passages, refrigerating means in the path of air moved by said air moving means, one side of said display bins having openings therein admitting air into said display bins from said last-mentioned air passages, and baflie means over said openings directing air fiow downwardly into said display bins.

4. A refrigerated showcase comprising a housing hav- 98. 311', w s; qlanins. wa a p u alit f Op n isplay bins positioned one above the other in said housing, means forming air passages: in said housing, air moving m ns ir ala a i a r n e drpa s e n i c as ins same in a curtain across said access opening, sai :1 display bins being spaced f rom one another, mans form- Rsieaeyw Zi a! s. 119 fils qiv hiinwati UNITED STATES PATENTS Hall Dec. 3, 1940 Hall May 13, 1941 Hall May 13, 1941 MacMaster Jan. '10, 1950 Bent1y Api 21 ,1953 Knight Nov. 3, 1953 Baker' 'Dec. 8', 1953'- Pichler Apt; 12, 1955 

